Prior U.S. Pat. No. RE 30722, granted Aug. 25, 1981, discloses a confection topping, normally in liquid form, which is adapted to be applied by a consumer to a frozen dessert such as ice cream, to form a hardened shell on the dessert. This topping is marketed under the trade name "Magic Shell", by Smucker's. It is designed to be shelf stored at room temperature in a plastic bottle and squeezed from the bottle by ordinary hand pressure.
The lipid portion of the topping comprises, for instance, in Example 1 of the patent, a blend of a hydrogenated vegetable oil having a Solid Fat Index of about 3-5% at 70.degree. F., a refined coconut oil having a melt point of about 76.degree. F. and a shortening containing about 6% stearine and 4% mono-diglyceride. The dry solids portion of the topping comprises powdered sugar, corn syrup solids, cocoa and non-fat dry milk. It is indicated in the patent that rapid hardening of the topping, when applied to a frozen dessert, is due to the seeding effect of the crystalized emulsifier and stearine present in the product. In other words, when the composition is chilled to a temperature below about 32.degree. F., crystallization of the fat is seeded whereby the composition is converted almost instantly from a fluid to a brittle, solid state.
The present invention is distinguishable from this patent in that it is not adapted for application to a frozen dessert. By contrast, the product of the present invention is designed to have stand-up at room temperature, that is, a discernible thickness on a farinaceous substrate such as a cracker. At the same time, it is capable of being squeezed from a narrow opening at room temperature, as in Re 30722, and has the same storage stability, such as resistance to phase separation at room temperature.
In addition, the present invention is distinguishable from Re 30722 in that the latter is limited only to cocoa based flavors, whereas the present invention embraces savory flavors other than cocoa.
Copending application Ser. No. 612,976 relates to a shelf-stable, non-aqueous spreadable filling which can have a savory or cheese flavor. The filling is adapted to be extruded or co-extruded, at an elevated temperature, onto or with a farinaceous substrate to produce a filled product such as a confectionery center or a cracker creme. On cooling to room temperature, the filling has a plastic consistency similar to that of peanut butter.
The lipid portion of the composition of Ser. No. 612,976 comprises a hydrogenated vegetable oil having a Solids Fat Index at 70.degree. F. of less than about 30, plus a lipid stabilizer having a Capillary Melting Point in the range of about 125.degree.-150.degree. F. Typical stabilizers are high-melting point mono-diglyceride and stearines. Another stabilizer useful in the spreadable filling of copending application Ser. No. 612,976 is triglycerol monostearate (a polyglycerol ester) having a Capillary Melting Point of about 127.degree.-131.degree. F. This emulsifier is lipophilic and has an HLB of about 7.2. The stabilizer is employed in an amount of about 3-6% by weight and functions on cooling to form a crystal matrix for the composition.
The fill portion of the composition of this patent can comprise a cheese powder; a dairy-derived food additive such as non-fat dry milk or non-fat buttermilk solids; a friable, bland protein such as defatted soy protein, caseinate, or textured vegetable protein; a bland, hydrolyzed non-hygroscopic friable starch such as a low DE corn syrup solid; and a disaccharide such as lactose or whey.
The disclosure of Ser. No. 612,976 is incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention is distinguishable from the disclosure of this copending application primarily in the lipid portion of the composition and in the characteristics of the end product.